Algae on Sand Bed?

[tamz273]

Hey pro's!
After a month or so with cycling the tank, thanks to all you guys i've finally been able to cycle the tank and have it all setup!! Now i have a second problem though... or something that might not be a problem...?
weeeeeeeell, my tank has been cycling for about a month, and now its finally done but i seem to have some algae spots on my sand bed... are those normal? Do I want them there? if not, how can i get rid of them??

thanks again! you guys rock!!

[NeonFlux]

It's normal. Brown spots perhaps? Yes, they are called diatoms

[7faces]

lucky you...seems the end of your cycle is near!

[TropicalNorth]

Algae is normal if not unavoidable in new set-ups, and there will always be a small amount of various types of algae in the tank. Usually the tank will get a couple of cycles of growth of different types of algae, over the first few months, then they slowly go away. If your water quality is good then you just sort of have to wait it out.

It's only if the algae starts going nuts and covering everything that you have to start looking into water quality etc.

[tamz273]

thanks for the quick replies guys!! yep, brown spots indeed!! so i should just leave them there and they will hopefully go away eh?
cool, great! thanks for the help again!1
AC rocks!!!

[Reefscape]

Yes, diatoms will go away on their own..all part of the course...

[tamz273]

great!! theres also some fish waste on the sand bed, should i vaccum that out or just leave it there?

[Hooked Newbie]

Yep, sounds normal (and actually healthy) to me. Vacuum any waste you can while doing your PWC.

[tamz273]

PWC = periodic water change? and btw, after i added my clown fish yesterday, my ammonia level has gone up quite a bit... (0.2-0.3 ppm)
Is that normal?

[Hooked Newbie]

PWC= Partial Water Change. I have to apologize... I am using the New posts feature and did not notice this was a Marine thread. Ignore anything I said, I know next to nothing about SW. Sorry! :wall:

[tamz273]

haha no worries! thanks for taking the time anyway "hooked newbie"..

anyone else?